University of Nevada to force women's volleyball team to 'move forward' with match against San Jose State, trans player after team voted to forfeit game

The women’s volleyball team at the University of Nevada-Reno voted to forfeit their game against San Jose State University, a team that has in its ranks biological male athlete Blaire Fleming. The university, however, has said that the match will continue as planned.

In a statement on Monday, the team said, "We, the University of Nevada Reno Women’s volleyball team, forfeit against San Jose State University and stand united in solidarity with the volleyball teams of Southern Utah University, Boise State University, the University of Wyoming, and Utah State University. We demand that our right to safety and fair competition on the court be upheld. We refuse to participate in any match that advances injustice against female athletes."

In a statement to OutKick late Monday, a University of Nevada spokesperson wrote, "On Oct. 13, 2024, the majority of members of the University of Nevada, Reno women’s volleyball team sent a statement to the University advising the institution that they were forfeiting its scheduled match with San Jose State University on Oct. 26, 2024. The players’ decision and statement were made independently, and without consultation with the University or the athletic department. The players’ decision also does not represent the position of the University."

The spokesperson said that the University and its athletic programs are governed by the Nevada Constitution and Nevada law, as well as federal law and the rules and regulations of the NCAA and Mountain West Conference, which "strictly protect equality of rights under the law" and provide "competition in an inclusive and supportive environment."

"The University intends to move forward with the match as scheduled, and the players may choose not to participate in the match on the day of the contest. No players will be subject to any team disciplinary action for their decision not to participate in the match," the spokesperson added.

The school’s athletic department had told OutKick in early October that the team would still be playing against San Jose State, but had not consulted the players before making the statement. The team took a vote after the athletic department's statement, with the majority of players wanting to forfeit. Sia Liilii, a co-captain and senior at the University of Nevada Reno, told the outlet, "The school released that statement without consulting our team at all. We were pretty upset that we were not made aware that a statement was going to come out." 

She said that the players and coaches held a meeting after their October 3 game against the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to speak about the statement their school had released. The team wanted time to think on the subject, and recently regathered and came to the decision to forfeit.

"We decided that we're going to stand in solidarity with other teams that have already forfeited and that we wouldn't participate in a game that advances sex-based discrimination or injustice against female athletes," Liilii said. 

This is the fifth school to forfeit against San Jose State in the 2024 season. Southern Utah was the first to pull out of its game against San Jose State, with Boise State, Wyoming, and Utah State following suit.